Few women know that there is such a thing as too much estrogen. In fact, excessive estrogen can increase the risk of some cancers, such as breast cancer.
Estrogen is the predominant sex hormone found in women that control the growth of breast, the menstrual cycle, pubic and underarm hair (1). In addition to this, estrogen also regulates cholesterol levels, protects bone health and even affects the brain (2).
Basically, estrogen is a necessary part of a healthy, functioning body for women.
While it isn’t frequently discussed as a major health concern among women, too much estrogen is actually very common in women, especially around North America, with estrogen dominance affecting 50% of women over 35 in the US (3).
The symptoms of too much estrogen in the body are obvious but are frequently written off as symptom of PMS. If ignored for too long those symptoms can lead to infertility, repeated miscarriages, uterine fibroids and some cancers (4).
Warning Signs
Here are some symptoms to look for when considering your own estrogen levels:
- Decreased sex drive (5)
- Irregular menstrual cycles (6)
- Bloating (7)
- Headaches (8)
- Mood Swings (9)
- Cold hands and feet (10)
- Hair loss (11)
- Thyroid dysfunction (12)
- Sluggish metabolism (13)
- Fatigue (14)
- Trouble sleeping (15)
- PMS (16)